Sewing machine feeding mechanism



Dec. 22, 1931.

A. A. MERRITT SEWING MACHINE FEEDING MECHANISM Filed June 23. 1922 4 Shegts-Sheet 1 fluwm A TTOR/VEYS o w w w mam 4Sheets-Sheet 2 A TTOR/VEYS INVENTOR a A. A. MERRITT SEWING MACHINE FEEDING MECHANISM Filed June 23. 1922 MON 1 K 0 \QQN /llllllffrlflllu 7' NV M w 1 L 064 w nu m vv whm QR Dec. 22, 1931.

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SEWING MACHINE FEEDING MECHANISM Filed June 23. 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet I5 fig AITORNEYS Dec. 22, 1931. A. A. MERRITT SEWING MACHINE FEEDING MECHANISM Filed June 25. 1922 4 ShGGtTS-SIIGGIZ 4 said 7% x QINVENITO@- ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 22, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ARTHUR A. MERRITT, F WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOB 'I'O WILLCOX & GIBBS SEWING MACHINE (70., OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A. OORPORATION OF NEW YORK SEWING MACHINE FEEDING Application filed June as,

Itis' well known that conditions are frequently'encountered in sewing certain classes 7 of work on sewing machines in whichthe feed of the machine, and especially the commonly used four-motion feed dog operating below the work, is inefficient and inefiective to properly feed the work past the presser foot, and

- by its movement-while the work is standing stillcuts and tears the work on the under surface thereof, the feed dog thus not only 2 failing to do its work of feeding but also thus injuring or marring the work. Such deficiencies of the ordinary feed are further increased when sewing relatively heavy materials and materials of hard surface, such as khaki, duck, and denim, such hard surfaces being particularly resistant to an eflective feeding grip by the ordinary feed. For example,.in the crotch of trousers, including overalls, and also under the arm pit of each 9 coat sleeve, including coats such as -work coats, jumpers, barbers coats and the like, where felled seams are used, there is a point where four felled seam corners come together and overlap each other resulting in a hump or ridge of from twelve to sixteen thicknesses of material to be sewed through and over and at the same time fed under the foot, instead of the three or four thicknesses extending in the line of feed for the main run of the seam at opposite sides of the aforesaid or similar humps, ridges, or cross seams. Experience demonstrates not only imperfection of feed of the work and stitch formation under such conditions, but also inability of the ordinary feed mechanism to advance the humps or ridges in the work past the toe of the presser foot where they stick or lodge until advance of the work is assisted by some force in addition to that of the feed mechanism of the machine. To that end it is more or less com- 1922. Serial No. 570,847.

I the wor It has also been proposed under similar or analogous circumstances to mechanically' assistthe feed of the machine by means of what 'is called a puller machine, which as its name suggests is in itself a complete machine adapted to be associated with the sewing machine by being positioned at one side thereof in the line of feed and back of the presser foot and stitch-forming mechanism and to serve as an auxiliary feed operating relatively distant from and supplementing the feed mechanism of the sewing machine itself. One example of such puller machines is shown in Seymour Patent 1,145,619, dated July 6, 1915. They involve many objections; for example, the added initial expense, space consumption, extra operating expense and trouble, and slowing up of operation, incident to the employment of two machines instead of a sewing machine alone. Also puller machines are usable only where 30 relatively long straight seams are being made and are not usable for many classes of work, tubular work for example.

Generally, the object of the present invention is the provision of-a sewing machine having feed mechanism capable of operating efliciently, successfully and-under high speed under conditions such as hereinbefore mentioned, to the end that the work, including humps, ridges, or cross seams, will befprog erly advanced underthe presser foot an past the needle or needles by the feed mechanism itself, and uniform, regular, and even stitches formed through the work including the humps, ridges, or cross seams, all without the necessity of manual pull upon the work or the use of pulling machines or the like to assist said feeding mechanism of the machine.

In sewing together two superimposed pieces or thicknesses of fabric or other material with. sewing machines employing ordinary feeds, such as the aforesaid lower fourmotion feed dog working upwardly in engagement with the bottom surface of the work in opposition to the downward yielding pressure of a presser foot contacting the top surface of the work, it is well known that in normal operation of the machine the bottom thickness of the work engaged b the forwardl moving feed dog will be a vanced or fed slightly further at each stitch than the top thickness engaged and somewhat retarded in its advance by the downwardly pressing non-advancing presser foot. In other words the feed of the two thicknesses will not be uniform and even; there will be a slight relative shifting or slip at each intermittent feed movement with a tendency to pucker the more slowly advanced thickness, or vice versa, and with the further result that two thicknesses of exactly the same length, though started through the machine exactly even at one end, one above the other, will in the normal operation be fed through the machine and sewed together so that they will come out of the machine uneven at their other end. While this occurs in some degree in sewing together any two superimposed thicknesses of fabric or material, it is especially noticeable with heavy materials, or with materials of hard smooth surface such as khaki, duck, patent leather, denim such as used for overalls, and similar materials or fabrics. To counteract such uneven feed of superimposed thicknesses, expert operators (even of domestic machines) commonly draw the lower thickness taut so as to retard the normal feed thereof by the lower feed dog and in that manner endeavor to even the feed of the two thicknesses.

A further general object of the present invention is the production of a sewing machine having feed mechanism which will uniformly and evenly feed two or more-superimposed thicknesses of fabric with mechanical regularity and precision and without assistance to that end on the part of the machine operative.

Further objects of the invention are the provision in a sewing machine of a power driven intermittently rotated feed roll engaging the top surface of the work close to the point of penetration thereof by the needle or needles; the provision of an intermittent drive especially adapted to such a top feed roll but generally applicable to other uses and including an intermittent worm; the pro vision of such a top feed roll working in combination and coordination with an oppositely positioned power driven feed device, such as a feed dog; the provision of such a top feed roll yieldingly pressed into engagement with the work and adapted, without interference with the driving connections thereto, to move up and down in accordance with variations of thickness of the work and also with raising and lowering of the work by the lower feed device; the provision in conjunction with such a top feed roll of a presser foot and particularly a rocking foot yieldingly pressed into engagement with the work to move up and down independently of the feed roll; the provision of means for lifting the feed roll and presser foot together for the introduction and withdrawal of the work; and the provision of parts and mechanism such as aforesaid in a, work arm machine capable of sewing tubular work and preferably in which the feed is off the free end of the arm, as in' the aforesaid Feldlock machine.

The aforesaid objects and still other objects, some hereinafter mentioned and others apparent from the detailed description and drawings, are attained by this invention the now preferred embodiment and mechanical expression of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings as applied in a machine of the type of the aforesaid Feldlock machine.

In said drawings Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the complete machine with some of the casing covers removed to expose enclosed parts;

Fig. 2 is a detail perspective view of part of the presser foot lifting means;

Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section through the work arm on line 3-3 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section through the work arm on line 4--4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a detail perspective of parts of the presser foot disconnected;

Fig. 6 is a detail perspective of a bearing bracket or block for parts of the gearin for driving the top feed roll;

Figs. 7 and 8 are respectively a longitudinal vertical section and a top plan view of the presser foot;

Fig. 9 is a vertical section on line 99 of Fig. 12 with the presser foot and top feed roll in elevation;

Figs. 10 and 11 are detail views showing different positions of the presser foot and top feed roll in passing over folds or ribs of extra thickness in the fabric being sewed;

Fig. 12 is a top plan view of a portion of the head of the machine with some parts shown insection;

Fig. 13 is a detail view, partly in section and partly in elevation and looking from the left of Fig. 9, showing the top feed roll and associated parts;

Figs. 14 and 15 are detail views showing particularly the form of teeth on the top feed roll;

Fig. 16 illustrates a development into a plane of the peripheral surface of the worm on the main shaft which actuates the train of gears for intermittently rotating the top feed roll;

Fig. 17 is a detail view showing the mounting of the aforesaid worm on the end of the main shaft of the machine;

Fig. 18 comprises detail perspective views of the free end of the work arm and parts associated therewith;

Fig. 19 is a detail top plan view, with parts in section, of a part of the front wall of the work-supporting part of the work arm showing particularly a thread guide pivotally mounted on said wall;

Fig. 20 is a vertical transverse section through the work arm on the line 2020 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 21 is a detail view of the rack plate and its gear for adjusting the driving connections to change the length of feed stroke of the lower feed dog;

Fig. 22 is a detail view of part of the thread guide shown in Fig. 19;

Fig. 23 is a detail view of the presserbar of the top feed roll;

Fig. 24 is a perspective view illustrating modifications and additions of structure;

Fig. 25. Sheet 2, is a view in elevation of some of the parts shown in Fig. 24;

'Fig. 26, Sheet 2, is a bottom View of the feed-roller or wheel and spiral .gear guard or casing shown in Figs. 24 and 25; and

Fig. 27 Sheet 2, is a detached perspective of said spiral gear guardor casing.

Work arm and frame of machine-Th present invention is herein illustrated in conjunction with the Willcox & Gibbs Sewing Machine Companys aforesaid well known F eldlock machine which, as shown particularly in Fig. 1 of the drawings, has a frame work comprising two hollow standards 30 and 31 connected by a hollow bridge 32. A hollow work arm extends forward from the upper end of standard 30 in a horizontal part 33 from the outer end of which a part 34 depends vertically. At its upper end the hollow standard 31 curves or bends forward to form the hollow overhanging head portion 35 of the machine frame or casing. The

standard 31 and its head portion 35, bridge 32, standard 30, and parts 33,34 of the work arm are all preferably integrally formed in one casting. A lower horizontal work-supporting part 36 of the arm extends toward the left and rearward from the lower end of the vertically depending part 34, Fig. 1, terminating at its free end (which constitutes the free end ofthe entire work arm and the end off which the work is fed) beneath the overhanging head portion 35 of the machine frame and easing. Part 36 of the work arm is preferably a trough-like casting and is rigidly secured to the lower end of part 34 by three screws only two of which 37 and 38 are shown in the drawings, see Fig. 3. At the free end of said part 36 there is a U-shaped clot-h plate frame 39 (see Figs. 1, 3 and 18), properly positioned by upwardly projecting dowel pins 40, 40 on the arm adapted to engage openings 41, 41 of frame 39. Said frame 39 is secured in place by two screws 42, 42 passing upward through openings 43, 43 in the walls of the part 36 of the arm, the upper threaded ends of said screws engaging screw-threaded openings 44, 44 of frame 39. 45 is the throat plate, or cloth plate, or worksupport, best shown in Fig. 18, which is applied over the frame 39 and properly positioned thereon by three dowel pins 46 projecting upward from the frame 39 into three openings 47, respectively of said cloth plate. Three screws 48 passing through countersunk openings 49 of the cloth plate into threaded openings 50 of the frame 39 secure said cloth plate and frame together. The cloth plate 45 is illustrated, Fig. 18, as-having three needle slots 51 and'eightlongitudinally extending slots to accommodate the eight rows of teeth on the lower feed dog. A removable top cover 52 for the part 36 of the work arm has a beveled edge 53 at one end thereof engaging beneath an undercut in the opposing edge of the cloth plate 45 as best shown in Fig. 3. At its other end said cover 52 is secured in place by a bolt latch 54 having a conical point adapted to seat in a conical depression in the wall of the vertically depending part 34 of the work arm. Other removable caps or covers are also provided to facilitate assembling and access to parts enclosed within the hollow framework or casing, the same including a cap 55 (Fig. 1) at the top of standard 31; an upright cover 56 (see Fig. 12 and dotted lines Fig. 1) at the front ofthe head of the machine; a cover 57 (dotted lines Fig. 1) at the left hand end of the machine fitting against a slightly projecting flange 58 on the standard 31 and at its lower edge fitting against the upper edge of an oil drip cup 59 also projecting from and cast integrally with standard 31; and a vertically disposed cover 60 associated with part 34 of the work arm, and secured in place by a screw 61. I

62 is a folder which may be of any suit I able well known type for interfolding edges of fabric in making felled seams, and which as shown in Fig. 1 is positioned above the work-supporting part 36 of the arm just in advance of the presser foot. The folder is preferably attached to the work arm by means (such as shown in the aforesaid Mer= ritt Patent 1,253,507) which permit it to be swung aside from the normal operative position in which it is shown in Fig. 1 to an out of the way position, when for example it is desired to get at the presser foot or to Tomove the cloth plate for access to parts beneath the same. 7

The stitch-forming mechanism, as illustrated more particularly in Fig. 3 of the drawings, includes three thread-carrying needles 65 operating from above the cloth plate 45 and looper mechanismoperating beneath the cloth plate and within the work arm and including a thread-carrying looper 66 cooperating with each needle to form Grover and Baker stitches. The three needles 65 and their three loopers 66 form three parallel rows of Grover and Baker stitches, which may be readily reduced to two rows by omitting the middle needle. For sewing felled seams it is customary to use either two or three parallel rows of stitches, but the exact number of rows is immaterial so far as concerns the present invention. Parts operating within the work arm and beneath the cloth plate are substantially the same as corresponding parts in my aforesaid Merritt Patent 1,253,507, and said parts are actuated by driving connections through the work arm substantially the same as shown in prior Merritt patents, including Nos. 1,041,657 and 1,041,658 dated Oct. 15, 1912. Thus the individual loopers 66 are mounted on a looper-carrier 67 which in turn is pivotally mounted on a looper lever 68 by a pivot screw 69. The looper-carrier 67 is held in normal operative position relative to the looper lever, as shown in Fig. 3, by a latch 70 of a construction shown in the prior patents mentioned; but said carrier with its loopers may be swung forward, Fig. 3, about pivot 69 and through an opening (Fig. 18) in the front wall of part 36 of the work arm normally covered by slide cover 71 (Fig. 1). 72 is a loop spreader having a tail piece 73 pivoting on a screw pivot 74 which engages a supporting bracket arm 75 fastened to and projecting from the inner'face of one of the upright side walls of the work arm. Roller 73' depending from the tail piece 73 engages a cam-groove of a part 76 (as further shown in Osterhout Patent 1,253,518, J an. 15, 1918) secured to the looper lever 68. whereby movement of the latter imparts sidewise swinging movement to the loop spreader 72 about its pivot 74. Looper lever 68 fits and is movable longitudinally in a fulcrum block 7 5, Figs. 3 and 20. which in turn fits and is rotatable in a socket at the bottom of the part 36 of the work arm which socket is formed in part by curved recesses 76 and 77 Fig. 18, in the opposite side walls of the work arm. A circular plate 78 fits in said recesses above block 75 and looper lever 68 and is secured in place by screws 79, 80, through the side walls of the work arm, said plate thus holding the parts beneath it down to proper position during operation thereof. At its left hand end, Fig. 3, the looper lever 68 movably bears upon a horizontal plate or support 81, while at its opposite end it freely moves between parallel bars or plates 82, 83. Circular or approximately circular movement in a horizontal plane imparted to looper lever 68 at The driving connections for the looper lever (which are such as more fully disclosed in the aforesaid Merritt Patent 1,041,657) include an eccentric on the main shaft (not shown in the drawings hereof) actuating a pitman 85 which extends through the horizontal part 33 of the work arm and only the end of which shows in Fig. 3. Said pitman actuates a lever 86 in the vertical part 34 of the work arm which lever actuates a coupling 87 to simultaneously reciprocate it lengthwise of and oscillate it about its fixed supporting shaft 88, and said coupling in turn imparts to the looper lever its aforesaid compound movement.

For taking up the looper threads at the proper time in the formation of each stitch, take-up means such as shown in the aforesaid Osterhout Patent 1,253,518 may be employed, including a stationary member 90 (Fig. 18) secured to the inner face of the wall of the part 36 of the work arm and over the vertical edge of which stationary member the looper threads, such as 91, are led over a cooperating movable take-up member 92 (see also Fig. 3) secured to and moving with looper lever 68.

95 is a lower feed-member or dog which, as best shown in Fig. 18, has eight rows of teeth adapted to work through eight slots respectively in the cloth plate 45 in engaging and feeding the work. Feed dog 95 is secured by two screws to one end of feed lever 96 fulcrumed to turn and move horizontally on a pivot pin 97 supported at its ends in openings through the side walls of part 36 of the work arm, see Figs. 3 and 20. At its other or right hand end, Figs..3 and 4, lever 96 is pivoted to the lower end of a vertical lever 98 which is fulcrumed to turn and to move longitudinally in the vertical part 34 of the work arm on the inner reduced end of a pivot screw 99 the threaded portion of which enga es 2. screw-threaded opening through a rac plate 100 (Figs. 4 and 21) and the head of said screw being vertically movable in a countersunk vertical slot 101 (Fig. 1) in the front wall of the vertical part 34 of the work arm. The inner end of pivot screw 99 is embraced by two bea-ring blocks which are positioned in an elongated capped bearing opening of lever 98, as clearly shown in 3. At its upper end lever 98 is connected to one arm of a coupling member 102 (similar to the coupling member 87 before mentioned) which is adapted to be simultaneously reciprocated lengthwise of and oscillated about its fixed supporting shaft 103 by a pitman 104 (only the end of which shows in Fig. 3) connected to the other arm of said coupling and pivotally supported in and extending through the horizontal part 33 of the work arm to a driving crank on the main shaft in the manner set forth in the aforesaid Merritt Patents 1,041,657 and 1,041,658. Through the driving connections thus described circular or elliptical motion in an upright plane is imparted to one end of the feed lever 96 thereby imparting to the feed dog 95 at the 7 other end of said lever the desired movement -in an elliptical path or so-called four-motion feed movement. The position of the pivot screw 99 determines the length of each feed movement imparted to the feed dog 95 and hence the length of stitch produced. Normally said screw is turned to position to draw rack plate 100 into tight engagement with the wall of part 34 of the work arm, Fig. 4, thus locking the pivot 99 in the desired position of operation. To adjust the position of the pivot screw 99 and correspondingly change the length of stitch produced, said pivot screw is first turned in reverse direction suflicient to loosen rack plate 100 and said plate is then raised or lowered as may be desired by rotation of a gear wheel 105 (Fig. 21) meshing with the rack teeth of plate 100 and carried by a wheel 106 (Fig. 1) rotatable in a circular opening in the herebefore mentioned cover plate the. amount of rotatlon being accurately determinable by a scale along the periphery of the wheel. After the parts have thus been adjusted to posltion to produce the length of stitch desired the pivot screw 99 is again locked in posltion by rotat ing the same to draw the rack plate 100 mto tight engagementwith the wall of the work arm. 1

The three needles are carried by a needle bar 110 vertically movable in hearings in the head of the machine and reciprocated from a crank 111 of the main shaft 112 (see Fig. 12) through suitable connections including a. rock lever 113 the forked outer end of which, as shown in Fig. 1, is connected to the needle 1 bar through two links 114all as further disclosed in prior patents, particularly Merha 1,041,652 (Figs. 1243)- and 1,041,654, dated Oct. 15, 1912.

Presser foot lifting means also of a t pe disclosed in prior patents (particularly Figs. 7 5-77 of the aforesaid Merritt Patent 1,041,652) are illustrated in Fig. 1 in conjunction with tl'l} top feed and presser foot parts of the present invention. 115 1s .a short tubular rock-shaft or sleeve rotatable on a stud 116 rigidly projecting from the head 35 of the machine frame or casing. A rock-arm 117 preferably cast integral with said shaft extends toward the rear of the machine where it is engaged by rod 118 dependvice (not shown) whereby the rod and arm 117 may be pulled downward to the limit of a stop stud 117 against the tension of the coiled spr ng 119 surrounding the rod and normally tending to hold the arm 117 up in the position in which it is illustrated in Fig. 1 in contact with the stop stud 120. A second arm 121 projecting from and also preferably cast integral with the tubular shaft 115 carries at its outer end a block 122, Fig. 2, having an upturned edge or flange engaging under a lug or ear 123 projecting from the presser foot. In addition to such means for actuating the lifter from a treadle or kneeactuated device, the following means are provided for hand actuation. A bent link 124 pivoted at its lower end to the rock-arm 117 by a screw pivot 125 is pivotally connected at its upper end to the outer end of an arm 126 secured to the end of a shaft 127 projecting from and journalled in the wall of the standard 31 of the machine frame said shaft carrying within said standard means (which need not be herein illustrated or described) which prevent lifting of the presser foot except when the needles are elevated above the cloth plate. 128 is a hand lever fulcrumed to the head of the machine by a screw pivot 129 and carrying a screw stud 130 the shank of which works in a slot in the upper end of a connecting bar 131 which latter at its lower end pivots on the screw ivot 125 beneath the link 12A. 132 is a bu er spring secured in a groove along the underside of the hand lever 128 and adapted to contact with a stop stud 133. A spring 134 coiled about the shank of the screw 135 screwed into the connecting bar 131, has one end anchored in an opening in said rod and at its other end bears in a short groove along the upper edge of rock-arm 117. In the normal position of the parts, the pressure of spring 119 on the treadle rod 118 constantly tends to move the parts to their normal position shown in Fig. 1, where the rock-arm 117 contacts with p 131 is elevated tilting the hand lever 128 forward with its buffer spring 132 against stop screw 133. In this position of the parts the axis of the pivot screw, 130 lies to the left of an imaginary straight line connecting the axes of the pivot screws 125 and 129. To elevate the presser foot by operation of the hand lever 128 the latter is swung upward causing the pivot screw 130 to act against the lower end of the wall of the slot in connecting rod 131 thereby imparting a longitudinal downward and swinging movement to said rod and moving it and the rock-arm 117, the

arm 126 and link 124, to positions in which a projection 136 on the end of hand lever 128 comes in contact with the flange 58 on the end wall of'the machine head and in which position the axis of the pivot screw 130 will occupy a position slightly to the right of an imaginary straight line connecting the axes of the pivot screws 125 and 129. In this relationship of parts the upward pressure exerted by spring 119 tends to hold the projection 136 tightly in engagement with the flange 58 notwithstanding the weaker pressure of the spring 134 tending to swing the upper end of the connecting bar 131 toward the left. The parts are thus temporarily locked in position to hold the presser foot elevated and will so remain until released by a slight forward and downward movement of the hand lever 128 or a slight downward movement of the treadle connections, whereupon the parts will quickly snap back to the position in which they are illustrated in Fi l.

Aliiough most of the parts (there are some exceptions) hereinbefore mentioned in the detailed description by reference numerals are disclosed in the-prior patents mentioned, nevertheless it is important and appropriate to here include illustration and description thereof because by their relationship and cooperation with other parts hereinafter described they constitute parts of new combinations.

' The presser foot and top feed parts are closely associated and will be described together. 140 is the presser foot bar parallel to the needle bar and behind the same when looking in the direction of feed. Bar 140 is verticall movable in a sleeve fitted in a lower bearing opening 141 and in an upper bearing opening 142, both openings being bored through solid portions of the head of the machine (Figs. 1 and 9). A coiled spring 143 is positioned in opening 142 to bear against the upper end of bar 140 and the usual elongated tubular nut or plug 144, screw-threaded into the upper end of opening 142, serves to hold the spring to its work and to adjust its compression and tension. In the operation of the machine said spring serves the usual purpose of yieldingly pressing the foot against the work while permitting the foot to be slightly lifted upon each upward and forward movement of the lower feed dog in advancin the work. 145 is the shank of the presser oot havin a split hub embracing the lower end of ar 140 and clamped t ereon by tightening a screw -146. Shank 145 xtends forwardly and downwardly in two spaced fork-like legs 147, 148 each formed at its lower end to constitute a partly cylindrical cross-head or knob 149, the cylindrical surfaces of both knobs being on a common axis and of the same diameter as best shown in Figs. 2 and 5. The presser'foot is formed of two parallel side bars 150, 151, Figs. 5, 7 and 8, connected at their middle by a cross bar 152 having therethrough three elongated needle openings, these parts being preferably integrally formed from one piece of metal. Three parallel rollers 153 positioned between the forward upwardly curving ends of side bars 150, 151 and in front of cross bar 152 are journaled on pins 154 extending from one side bar to the other. An upwardly opening undercut partly cylindrical socket 155 at the top edge of each side bar is adapted to receive, with freedom of pivotal movement, its corresponding knob 149. After the two knobs 149 have been engaged with the two sockets 155 by a relative sidewise sliding movement, disengagement by similar movement is prevented by two screws 156 engaging threaded axial openings of the knobs 149 respectively, the heads of these screws being of larger diameter than the diameter of the sockets and knobs. Removal of screws 156 permits ready detachment of the foot from its shank by relative sidewise movement. The presser foot as thus pivotally attached or hinged to its shank may freely tilt or rock and assume different inclinations in yieldingly pressing upon and passing over variations in thickness of work passing under the foot, as shown for example in Figs. 9, 10 and 11.

160 is a power driven intermittently rotated top feed wheel or roll adapted by engagement with the upper surface of the fabric or work to intermittently feed or advance the same the length of one stitch at a time, each feed movement being timed to take place as usual While the needle or needles are clear of the work. In the embodiment herein illustrated, the peripheral surface of the feed roll is formed to constitute teeth for gripping the fabric or work to be fed and also gear teeth through which the roll is rotated. Thus, there are parallel spiral gear teeth 161, Fig. 14, extending diagonally across the periphery of the roll at an angle of approximately 45 to its axis and with which the teeth of a spiral gear 162 mesh to rotate the feed roll; also along the top of each gear tooth 161 there are suitably formed equally spaced teeth 163 for engaging and gripping the top surface of the fabric or work to feed the same, said teeth 163 being preferably formed in rows parallel to the axis of the roll. 165 is a top feed presser bar of rectangular crosssection having vertical sliding movement parallel to the presser foot bar 140 in an upright groove or recess cut into solid portions of the head of the machine and closed at its front edge by the removable cover 56 on the head of the machine, said cover being shown in Fig. 12 and in dotted outline in Fig. 1. At its lower end, bar 165 has a right-angle extension branching into two downwardly curved spaced arms 166 between which the roll 160 is journaled on a stud 167, Fig.13. As thus supported the feed roll 160 is also positioned to engage the top surface of the fabric or work in the space between the rear ends of the side bars 150 and 151 of the presser foot close to the rear beveled edge of cross bar 152 and thus close to the point where the needles penetrate the work. The top feed roll is yieldingly pressed downward into gripping engagement with the work by a coiled, spring 168 (Figs. 1 and 9) seating yieldingly pressed into gripping feeding engagement with the top surface of the fabric or work, the top feed roll 160 may yieldingly move up or down not only-to accommodate itself to variations of thickness of work passing thereunder, but in response to up and down movements of the lower feed dog, thereby enabling said roll to continuously maintain its feeding grip upon the work.

Top feed roll 160 is power driven and intermittently rotated to feed the work through gearing connection from the main shaft 112 (Fig. 12) including the already mentioned spiral gear 162 meshing with the peripheral spiral gear teeth 161 on the roll. Gear 162 isscrew-threaded onto the lower end of a shaft 170 which extends longitudinally and rotatably'through the presser bar 165 and is held up to its operative position by a collar 171 on the shaft positioned in an opening 172 (Figs. 9 and 23) extending transversely through bar 165 and bearing against the bottom surface 173 of said opening. In the same opening 172 there is positioned an elongated spur gear pinion 174 on the squared upper end of shaft 170. The main or needle bar shaft 112 extends through the end wall of the head of the machine in a bearing sleeve 175 (Fig. 12) and has a worm 176 keyed on its projecting end and also secured against endwise movement-by a washer 177 and a screw 178 threaded into a socket in the end of the shaft. Worm 176 meshes with and drives a worm gear 179 keyed onto the lower headed end ofupright worm gear shaft 180 carrying on its upper squared end a spur gear 181 secured. in place by a screw 182. lhe worm 176 is so formed, as hereinafter fully described, as to rotate worm gear 179 during a part only of each complete rotation of the worm. Gear 181 in turn meshes with and drives a spur gear 183 secured by a screw 184 on the squared upper end of upright shaft 185 parallel to shaft 180 and having. keyed on its lower headed end a spur gear 186 meshing with and driving the pinion 174 hereinbefore mentioned to rotate shaft 170 and, through its spiralgear 162, the top feed roll 160. Parts of the driving connections above described are mounted upon a detachable bracket 187 (Figs. 1 and 6) and removable therewith as a unit, thus facilitating assembling and taking apart of the mechanism. Bracket 187 has two upright parallel bearing openings 188, 189 (Fig. 6) for the shafts 180 and 185 respectively, a recess 190 in which gear wheel 186 is positioned and operates, and two openings 191, 192

through which screws 193, 194 (Fig. 1) re-' spectively pass intoscrew-threaded sockets in the head of the machine to secure the bracket in position. The bracket may be cast integral with the head of the machine if preferred.

For lifting the presser bar 165 and its top feed roll 160 when thepresser foot is lifted by means such as hereinbefore described, two

lugs or ears 195 projectrearward (in the direction of feed) on the presser foot shank 145 into a rectangular opening 196 in presser bar 165, said lugs occupying positions in said opening at opposite sides of the shaft 170 passing vertically therethrough and thus also serving to prevent turning of the presser foot to one side or the other out of proper alinem-ent with the path of feed. With the parts in operative positions, for example such as shown in Figs. 1, 9, 10 and 11, there is sufficient clearance between the top wall of opening 196 and the upper edges of the lugs, and between the bottom wall of said opening and the lower edges of the lugs, to permit relative and independent up and down movement of the presser foot and top feed roll such as occasioned in passing over variations in thickness of work and by up and down movements of the lower feed dog 95. But when the presser foot is lifted by the presser foot lifting means for withdrawing or introducing work. the two lugs 195 engage the top wall of the opening 196 and thereby also lift the presser bar 165 and its feed roll 160 against the tension of spring 168, the teeth of the elongated pinion 174 merely sliding in their engagement with the teeth of the gear wheel 186 without moving said teeth relatively out of mesh or otherwise disturbing or disarranging the driving connections to the top feed roll.

In Figs. 24 and 25 there is shown what has been found to be a preferred arrangement wherein the manually operable lifting means such as hereinbefore described operate to lift the feed roller which in turn lifts the presser foot. In this instance arm 121' of the lifting means (corresponding to the hereinbefore described arm 121) carries at its outer end a block 122" having a rounded top surface adapted to upwardly engage anoverhanging surface or shoulder 123' which may be formed on the presser bar 165 by'cutting or beveling away a portion of the lower corner thereof. Normally the arm 121 and its block stand lowered out of engagement with the shoulder 123 thus leaving the feed roller free to move up and down in its engagement with the work. Vhcn the lifting means are actuated by an operative the upward swing of arm 121 brings the rounded surface of block 122 into contact with shoulder 123' and lifts the press or bar 165 and with it the feed roller. In the upward movement of said bar the lower wall of the slot 196 therein moves upward into engagement with the lower edges of the two lugs 195 thereby communicating upward lifting movement to the presser foot. This upward movement of the feed roller before it picks up and lifts the presser foot has the advantage of finally elevating the lowermost portion of the work-engaging surface of the feed roller above the bottom surface of the presser foot in which positioning there is better clearance under the feed roller for withdrawing, shifting or introducing work.

The toothed surface of the feed roller is likely in its rotation to pick up from the work any loose threads, bits of material, or other foreign matter carried thereby, and the same becoming entangled in the rotating parts and particularly in the intermeshing teeth of the feed roller and its spiral gear will interfere with the proper operation of said parts. Means for overcoming such difficulty are shown in Figs. 24- to 27. The feed roller 160' there shown has about the middle of its periphery a groove 210 and is otherwise the same as the hercinbefore described feed roller 160. 211 is an approximately semi-circular guard or ca sing fitting about the lower end of the presser bar 165 and spiral gear 162. The. edge 212 of the top wall of said casing is shaped to lit the opposing surface of the bar 165 and has an upstanding ear 213 for a screw engaging a threaded opening in said bar. A second upstanding car 214 on the front wall of said casing tits against one of the arms 166 and is secured thereto by a screw. Removal of the two screws which pass through the ears 213 and 214 frees the casing 211 for removal from the mechanism. The edge of the bottom wall of the casing projects beyond the open end of the latter and is notched to form three projecting fingers 215, 216, and 217. lVhen the parts are assembled the finger 216 projects and fits into the groove 210 of the feed roller while the fingers 215 and 217 are positioned close to the side faces respectively of said roller, as clearly shown in Figs. 25 and 26. Thus positioned, said fingers, and particularly finger 21G, serves as deflecting means deflecting outward under the bottom wall of the casing threads, bits of material, or other foreign matter, carried upward from the surface of the work by the rotating feed roller.

Returning to the worm, 176-it is of peculiar formation to constitute what may be termed an intermittent worm, that is one which while continuously rotating with its thread, rib or tooth continuously in mesh with the teeth of its driven worm gear has its said thread so formed as to rotate the worm gear during a part only of each complete rotation of the worm. As illustrated in the drawings and particularly in the plan view of Fig. 12 and in Fig. 16 where the peripheral surface of the worm is developed into a plane with one-half or 180 degrees of said surface above the transverse line ab and the other half or 180 degrees of said surface below said lincthere is a single peripheral thread 176 making four complete turns or convolutions about the periphery of the worm. Over one-half of the peripheral surfaces of the worm, at one side of an imaginary plane embracing the longitudinal axis of the worm, for example the half shown above the line a b in Fig. 16, the convolutions or portions of convolutions of the thread 17 6 run at right angles 90 to their axis and hence lie in planes at right angles to the axis of the worm; in other words, they have no load or pitch and hence rotate past and in mesh with the teeth of the worm gear 179 (Fig. 12) without rotating said gear on its axis. But over the other half of the peripheral surface of the worm, at the other side of the aforesaid imaginary plane embracing the longitudinal axis of the worm, the half below the line aZ), Fig. 16, the portions of the convolutions of the thread 176 have a lead, or circular pitch, or spiral formation, and hence said port-ions of the thread while rotating past and in mesh with the teeth of the worm gear 179 rotate said gear on its axis. Therefore, the worm 176, although continuously rotating in mesh with worm gear 179, will rotate the gear during one-half only of each complete rotation of the worm, with the result that the gear 179 will be intermittently rotated, with alternately and'regularly recurring periods of rotation and non-rotation, and through the train of gearing leading therefrom to the top feed roll 160 will intermittently rotate said roll to feed the work. In the machine illustrated the needles will make one complete stroke, that is down and up, for each rotation of the main or needle shaft 112; and since it is desired that the top feed roll 160 shall rotate and feed the work only during that portion of each needle stroke while the needles are up out of engagement with the work, the worm 176 is so positioned on said shaft that each period of rotation of the feed roll will occur only while the points of the needles are clear of the work. The extent of each rotative movement of the feed roll and hence the distance of each advance or feed of work engaged by the peripheral surface of the roll, which in turn determines the length of stitch formed, will obviously depend (in the machine as illustrated) upon the train of gearing driving the feed roll from the main shaft beginning with the worm 176. The greater under such conditions it is preferable to furnish the mill owners or purchasers with machines geared to make only the particular length of stitch desired andspecified by them and free of adjustable means for varying said length of stitch which means would be subject to the individual ideas and whims of each machine operative as to the length of stitch she may for her own reasons prefer to use, the disposition of such operatives being to always use long or coarse stitchesto speed production. In the machine herein illustrated the length of stitch to be roduced may be determined by the ratio 0 the two gears 181 and 183 and be varied by using set of these gears of differing ratios. And the ratio of gears used may be determined in accordance with the length of stitch specified in ordering a machine, or the purchaser of a machine may also purchase a number of sets of gears and control the use of one set or another according to the particular length of stitch desired for any particular work.

Driving connections such as hereinbefore described, including an intermittent worm are particularly advantageous and eflicient for actuating the intermittently rotating top feed roll. The thread of the worm is always in mesh with the teeth of its worm gear thereby positively controlling the action of the top feed roll at all times. The worm locks the worm gear against rotation when the portions of the thread which have no lead or pitch are in engagement with said gear (at which time the needles are in the work) thus preventing displacement and false movement of the driving connections which might interfere with the proper operation of the feed roll and more particularly with the timing of the operation thereof in coordination with the movements of other parts. When the spiral portions of its thread are in engagement with the worm gear the worm thread evenly rotates the driving connections and feed roll. Said driving connections including the intermittent worm also attain the. important objects of dispensing with bodily reciprocating parts, such as pawl and ratchet means. of practically eliminating inertia effects, and-with the feed roll and parts of its driving connections all rotating about their axes and at high speeds and will under all conditions operate accurately, smoothly and efficiently. The worm may have one or a plurality of threads and its formation may be otherwise varied without departing from the invention. The extent of the intermittent movements of the feed may be varied by changing the design of the worm and particularly of its thread; also by changing the ratio of the gearing, for example the'ratio of gears 181 and 183 as hereinbefore suggested. While the driving connections to the feed roll such as illustrated and described are preferred and constitute an important part of the invention, other forms of driving connections for actuating the feed roll may also be used.

Under many conditions'of use the power driven top feed roll may alone be employed and relied upon to feed the fabric or work. But said roll and its driving connections have been especially designed for use in .com bination and coordination with other feeding means engaging the work at the underside thereof and preferably means such as the hereinbefore described feed dog 95 having combined forward and backward and raising and lowering (four motion) movements 7 during which the gripping surface or teeth of the dog rise through the slots in the cloth plate, engage the work and grip the same against the yielding downward pressure of the presser foot, advance or slide the work forward over the surface of the work plate and under the bottom surface of the presser foot, and then fall or lower out of engagement with the work and below the surface of the work plate. Incidental to that part of the raising and lowering movement of the dog in which its gripping surface or teeth are above the surface of the throat plate, there is a slight raising and lowering of the work and also of the presser foot which is yieldingly pressing downward upon the work through the action of its presser bar'140 and spring 143. To most effectively grip the work at both surfaces thereof for feeding purposes the top feed roll should engage the top surface of the work directly above the engage ment of the feed dog with the bottom surface of the work, in the manner clearly illustrated in the drawings. Being so positioned it follows that the top feed roll, while firmly gripping the top surface of the work, must at the same time be capable of yielding to and following the raisin and falling movements of the lower feed og, just as the presser foot follows such movements. All of this is provided for by yieldingly pressing the feed roll downward into engagement with the work through the action of its presser bar .165 and spring 168, and by the elongated teeth of the pinion 174 sliding vertically in the teeth of the gear 186 so that up and down movement of the feed roll does not disconnect or otherwise interfere with the power driving connections. However, said top feed roll and'presser foot, in their aforesald up and down movements to accommodate similar movements of the lower feed dog, or to follow variations in thickness of work, operate independently of each other, that is either may move up or down without the other, or they may move up or down together, as the particular conditions at any stage of operation may require. The importance of this is well illustrated in Figs. 9, 10 and 11. In Fig. 9 the foot has been tilted up at its forward end by an extra thickness of the work (shown as a felled seam extending transverse to the line of feed) which has been advanced part way under the foot. The top feed roll 160 is maintaining its engagement with the thinner portion of the work in front of the thick cross sea-m, so that notwithstanding the extraordinary thickness of the cross seam the combined action of the top and bottom feed devices is capable of properly feeding the work. The foot has been lifted slightly relatively to the feed roll, as shown by the fact that the lower edge of the lug 195 on the foot shank is considerably above the bottom wall of its slot or recesses 196 in the presser bar 165 and has also been tilted or rocked upward at its forward end on its hinge connections to the lower ends of arms 147 of the foot shank. By so tilting the foot is enabled to distribute its engagement with the work in passing over irregular thicknesses thereof. As shown in Fig. 10, the thick cross seam has been still further advanced until it lies directly under the pivotal axis of the foot which has now assumed an approximately horizontal position and has been still further lifted as shown by the still higher position of lug 195 in slot 196. The feed roll is still engaging the thinner portion of the work directly in front of the cross seam and the combined action of the two feed devices is effective to positively and evenly feed the work without other assistance and notwithstanding the passing cross seam. In Fig. 11 the work has been further advanced until the cross seam is under the rear end of the foot and directly under the center of the feed roll,

the foot tilting downward at its forward end invention has the very important advantage amongstothers of maintaining its gripping surface in constant and uninterrupted engagement with and hence positive and uninterrupted control of the work thereunder.

I If no bottom feed is used then the feed roller grips the work continuously against the throat plate. When a bottom feed is used, then the feed roller grips the work continuously either against the throat plate when the bottom feed is below said plate, or against the teeth of the bottom feed dog during the periods when said teeth stand above the surface of the throatplate. This practically eliminates the possibility of false movements or slipping of the work with defective or irregular stitch formation such as not infrequently occurs with the intermittent action and less secure gripping of the ordinary feeds wherein the feed dog alternatively engages and feeds and then disengages the work.

When it is desired, as is most commonly the case, to feed the work evenly at both the top and bottom surfaces thereofas when two superimposed thicknesses of fabric are being sewed togetherthe movement of the lower feed dog in engagement with the work should be exactly timed, both as to speed and extent of advance movement, with the corresponding rotary movement of the top feed roll 160. As it might be difficult, if not impossible, to otherwise attain the desiredrelationship of timing, I prefer to provide means such as hereinbefore described whereby the feed stroke of the feed dog 95 in engagement with the work may be readily adjusted to conform to the feeding action of the top feed roll. Such adjustment may also be utilized where for some particular class of work differential feeding action by the top flied roll and bottom feed dog may be desira le.

The use of a feed roller, with its constant downward gripping'of the work, in addition to the constant downward gripping of the work by the presser foot, in effect distributes the downward pressure over a larger area of surface of the work with the result that a smaller total ressure will be efficient. Such reduction of t e downward gripping pressure, which must be overcome by each upward movement of the lower feed dog in slightly lifting the work from the throat plate, lessens the effort and strain imposed upon the lower feed dog, its driving means, and the work arm and other parts of the machine; and this will be of advantage, not only in feeding and controlling heavy materials, as in overalls, canvas coats, etc. but especially so when feeding fine fabrics, like silk, because with the more efficient holding feature it is possible not only to reduce the pressure but also if desired to dispense with sharp-pointed teeth both on the lower feed dog and feed roller and to employ instead relatively smooth gripping surfaces on these parts, and on the lower feed dog to employ frictional gripping surfaces of materials such as rubber. Such elimination of gripping teeth will be of very material advantage in the feeding of delicate and thin materials such as silk.

Referring-particularly to Figs. 18, 19 and 20, the three looper threads 91 there illustrated are shown as extending from the movable take-up member 92 through an upwardly opening thread groove or channel 200 in the front wall of the part 36 of the work arm to three eyes respectively in a plate 201 constituting part of the looper carrier 67. With such a relatively long run of parallel threads there is danger of the threads becoming entangled with consequent breakage when the tangle reaches the thread eyes of part 201. This is most likely to happen with inferior qualities of thread or yarn which in particular present a fuzzy condition incident to projecting fibres. With the object of meeting such condition I provide a thread guide 202 in the form of a fiat metal strip or plate positioned parallel to and close against the inner face of the front wall of the part 36 of the work arm and pivoted at one end to said wall on a screw stud 203 and at its other end bent at right angles to project through a slot 204 and into thread channel 200, with three thread eyes 205 in said end in line with said channel. At its pivoted end a part 206 (Fig. 22) at one side of a slit in the metal strip 202 is bent out of the plane of the main body of the strip and produces additional grip or friction when the screw stud 203 draws the strip 202 and said part 206 firmly against the surface of the wall of the work arm. With the threads 91 separately supported and guided by passing through the eyes 205 of the thread guide 202, as shown in Fig. 18, there is no danger of entanglement and resulting breakage. For access to the eyes 205 in threading the same, the thread guide 202 may be swung upward on its pivot 203 out of the part 36 of the work.

arm to its dotted line position in Fig. 18,

' where it will remain by friction until again v pressed down to 1ts normal operative pos1- tion.

What is claimed as new is 1. A sewing machine including in combination. a feed-roller or wheel for engaging and feeding the work movable up and down in its said engagement with and feeding of the work and to accommodate variations and differences in the thickness of the work; a carrier on which said feed-roller is rotatably mounted, said carrier being supported to be movable with said feed-roller in the aforesaid movements of the latter; a presser foot and means yieldingly pressing it into engagement with the work for up-and-down movement independent of the up-and-down movement of the feed-roller and driving connections for imparting rotary feed movement to said feedroller, said connections partly extending along and in close proximity to said carrier in 7 an upright position to the feed-roller and being movable up and down with the carrier and including a driven part rotatably mounted on and movable with said carrier and en'- gaged by a relatively fix'ed rotatable driving part, said parts being relatively movable without disengagement to accommodate said up and down movements of the carrier and feed-roller thereon without interrupting the transmission of driving power to said feedroller.

2. A sewing machine including in combination, a feed-roller or wheel for engaging and feeding the work movable up and down in its said engagement with and feeding of the work and to accommodate variations and differences in the thickness of the work; a carrier on which said feed-roller is rotatably mounted, said carrier bein supported to be movable with said feed-r0 ler in the aforesaid movements of the latter; yielding presser means acting upon and through said carrier to yieldingly press the feed-roller into engagement with the work; a presser foot and means yieldingly pressing it into engagement with the work for up and down movement independentof the up and down movement of said feed roller; and driving connections for imparting rotary feed movement to said feed-roller, said connections partly extending along and in close proximity to said carrier in an upright position to the feed-roller and being movable up and down with the carrier and including a driven part rotatably mounted on and movable with said carrier and engaged by a relatively fixed rotatable driving part, said parts being relatively movable without disengagement to accommodate said up and down movements of the carrier and feed-roller thereon without interrupting the transmission of driving power to sai feed roller.

3. A sewing machine including in combination, a feed-roller or wheel for engaging and feeding the work movable u and down in its said engagement with an feeding of the work and to accommodate variations and differences in the thickness of the work; a carrier on which said feed-roller is rotatably mounted, said carrier being supported to be movable with said feed-roller in the aforesaid movements of the latter; a presser foot and means yieldingly pressing it into engagement with the work for up-and-down move ment independent of the up-and-down movement of the feed-roller and driving connections for imparting rotary feed movement to said feed-roller, said connections including a shaft rotatably mounted on and movable with and extending along said carrier in an upright position to the feed-roller, and also including a driven part on said shaft engaged by a relatively fixed rotatable driving part, said driven and driving parts being 4. A sewing machine including in combination, a work-support; a feed-roller or wheel for downwardly engaging and feeding the work along said work-support and movable up and down in its said engagement with and feeding of the work and to accommodate variations and differences in the thickness of the work; a carrier on the lower end of which said feed-roller is rotatably mounted, said carrier being supported on a part of the frame-work of the machine above said work-support to be movable with said feedroller in the aforesaid movements of the latter; and driving connections for imparting rotary feed movement to said feed-roller, said connections extending partly downward along and in close proximity to said carrier to the feed-roller and being movable up and down with said carrier, and said connections including a driven part rotatably mounted on and movable with the carrier and engaged by a relatively fixed driving part rotatably mounted on said part of the frame-work above the work-support, said driven and driving parts being relatively movable without disengagement to accommodate said up anddown movements of the carrier and feedroller thereon without interrupting the transmission of driving power to said feedroller.

5. A sewing machine including in combination, a work-support; a feed-roller or wheel for downwardly engaging and feeding the work along said work-support and movable up and down in its said engagement with and feeding of the work and to accommodate variations and differences in the thickness of the work; a presser-bar on the lower end of which said feed'roller is rotatably mounted, said presser-bar being supported on a part of the frame-work of the machine above said worksupport to be longitudinally movable with said feed-roller in the aforesaid movements of the latter; yielding presser means acting upon and through said presser-bar to yield-v ingly press the feed-roller downward into engagement with the work, a presser foot and means yieldingly pressing it into engagement with the work for up and down move ment independent of the up and down movement of said feed roller; and driving connections for imparting rotary feed movement to said feed-roller, said driving connections being partly mounted upon and extending downward along and in close proximity to said presser-bar to said feed-roller and-being movable up and down with said presserbar, and said connections including a driven part rotatably mounted on and movable with said presser-bar and engaged by a relatively fixed driving part rotatably mounted on the aforesaid part of the frame-work, said driven and driving parts being relatively movable without disengagement to accommodate said up and down movements of the presser-bar and feed-roller thereon without interrupting the transmission of driving power to said feed-roller.

6. A sewing machine including in combina tion, a main driving shaft; a work-support; stitch-forming mechanism for operating upon work on said work-support and including a needle-bar movable up and down on the head of the machine above the work-support and one or more needles carried by said bar; a presser-foot for engaging work on said work-support and having one or more openin 's through which the needle or needles op erate; a presser-foot bar carrying said foot and movable up and down on the head of the machine; a feed-roller or wheel for downwardly engaging the work on the work-support in the path of its engagement by the presser-foot and feeding said work as the stitch-forming mechanism operates thereon; a presser-bar on the lower end of which said feed-roller is rotatably mounted, said bar being longitudinally movable up and down on the head of the machine; and driving connections from said main shaft for actuating said stitch-forming mechanism and rotating said feed-roller, part of said connections to said feed-roller being mounted upon and extending downward along said last-named presser-bar to said roller and being movable up and down with said bar without interrupting the transmission of driving power to said feed-roller.

7. A sewing machine including in combination, a work-support, a part of the frame of the machine positioned higher than said work-support; a carrier mounted to move up and down on said machine head and extending below the same; a feed-roller or wheel rotatably mounted on the lower end of said carrier and adapted to downwardly engage work on and feed it along said worksupport; and driving connections for imparting rotary feed movement to said wheel, said connections including a shaft rotatably mounted on said carrier and extending downward along the same from said machine frame part to said feed-roller, and also including a part rotatably mounted in a hearing on said machine frame part and acting to rotate said shaft.

8. A sewing machine including in combination, a work-support; a part of the frame of the machine positioned higher than said work-support; a carrier mounted to move up and down on said machine frame part and extending below the same; a feed-roller or wheel rotatably mounted on the lower end of said carrier and adapted to downwardly engage work on and feed it alongsaid worksupport; means acting on and through said carrier to yieldingly press the feed-roller downward into yielding engagement with the work; means for adjusting said pressermeans to change the pressure of the feedroller upon the work; a presser foot and means yieldingly pressing it into engagement with the work for up and down movement independent of up and down movement of the feed roller while engaging the work; and driving connections extending downward from said machine frame part along and in close proximity to said carrier to said feed-roller for imparting rotary feed movement thereto.

9. A sewing machine including in combination, a work-support; a part of the frame of the machine positioned higher than said worksupport; a presser-bar mounted to move up and down on said machine frame part and extending below the same; a'feedroller or wheel rotatably mounted on the lower end of said presser-bar and adapted to downwardly engage work on and feed it along said work-support; and driving connections for rotating said feed-roller, said connections including a shaft rotatably d mounted on and extending downward along and movable with the presser-bar, gearing rotatably mounted in hearings on the machine frame part and rotating said shaft,

and gearing from said shaft to said feedroller for rotating the latter.

10. A sewing machine including in combination, a work-support; a part of the frame of the machine positioned higher than said work-support; a presser-bar mounted to move up and down on said machine frame part and extending below the same a feedroller or wheel rotatably mounted on the lower end of said presser-bar and adapted to downwardly engage work on and feed it along said work-support; a presser-spring acting upon said presser-bar and through the same to yieldingly press the feed-roller into engagement with the work; a presser foot carried by a presser foot bar mounted to move up and down on said machine frame part with means acting through said bar to yieldingly engage the presser foot with the work for'up and down movement independent of similar movement of the feed roller while engaging the work and 'driving connections for rotating the feed-roller, part of said connections being mounted on the machine frame part and part thereof .rotatably mounted on and extending downward along the presser-bar to said feedroller.

ll. A sewing machine including in combi- L nation, a work-support; a feed-roller or wheel for downwardly engaging 'work on and feeding it along said work-support; a

carrier at the lower end of which said feedroller is rotatably mounted, said carrier extending upward to and being movable up and down on a partof the machine frame above said work-support; and driving con-. nections for rotating said feed-roller including a gear wheel rotatably mounted on said C carrier and meshing with gear teeth on the a feed-roller or wheel rotatably mounted on I the lower end of said presser-bar and adapted to downwardly engage work on and feed it along said work-support; and driving connections for rotating said feed-roller including a shaft rotatably mounted on and extending along said presser-bar, gearing from the lower end of said shaft to the feed-roller, a pinion on the upper endof said shaft, a ear wheel rotatably mounted on said mac ine frame part and with the teeth of which the teeth of said pinion make longitudinal sliding engagement to accommodate up and own movement of the presser-bar and feedroller without interrupting the driving of the said roller.

13. A sewing machine including in combi: nation, a work-support; a machine frame or casing having a part thereof positioned higher than said work-support; a presser-bar mounted to move up and down on said part of the machine frame; a feed-roller or wheel rotatably mounted on said presser-bar and adapted to downwardly engage work on and feed it along said work-support; and driving connections for rotating said feed-roller including a part rotatably mounted on said machine frame above the work-support, and

having gear teeth meshing with and adapted 1 to making longitudinal sliding engagement with gear teeth of another part of the connections rotatably mounted on the presserbar to accommodate said up and down movements of the pressure-bar and vfeed-roller thereon without interrupting the driving of said feed roller.

14. In a sewing machine, the combination of a work-support; a machine frame or casing including a part positioned higher than said work-support; a feed-roller or wheel for gearing from the lower end of said shaft to said feed-roller. I

15. A sewing machine including in combination, a machine frame or casing; a feed -ro1lr or wheel for engaging and by itsrotation feeding the work; a carrier in the form of a bar mounted to move longitudinally and on which said feed-roller is rotatably mounted; and driving connections for imparting rotary feed movement to said feed-roller, said connections including a rotatable shaft extending longitudinally of and within said bar; and also including means mounted on said machine frame and making rotatable engagement with said shaft to impart rotation thereto, and means by which said shaft imparts rotation to said feed-roller.

16. A sewing machine including in combination, a work-support; a machine frame or casing including a part thereof positioned higher than'said work-support; a carrier in the form of a bar mounted to move longitudinally up and down on a bearing on said machine frame part; a feed-roller or wheel rotatably mounted on the lower end of said bar and adapted to engage work on and feed it along said work-support; and driving connections extending downward from said frame part to said feed-roller, said connections including a rotatable shaft extending longitudinally of and within said bar means rotatably mounted on said machine head and engaging said shaft at its upper end to rotate the same, and means at the lower end of said shaft imparting rotation therefrom to said feed-roller.

17. A sewing machine including in combination, awork-arm at the free end of which the stitch-forming mechanism of the machine operates; a part of the machine frame higher than said free end of the work-arm; a worksupport on said free end of the work-arm; a

I feed-roller or wheel for downwardly engaging and feeding the work along said worksupport and movable up and down in its engagement with and feeding of the work to accommodate variations and differences in the thickness of the work; a carrier on the lower end of which said feed-roller is rotatably mounted, said carrier being movable up and down on the machine frame part with said feed-roller in the aforesaid movements of the latter; and driving connections for operates; a part of the machine frame higher than said free end of the work-arm; a worksupport mounted on said free end of the workarm; a feed-roller or wheel for downwardly engaging and feeding the work along said work-support; a carrier on the lower end of which said feed-roller is rotatably mounted, said carrier being movable up and down on the machine frame part; and driving connections for imparting rotary feed movement to said feed-roller to feed the work toward and off the free end of the work-arm part of said connections being rotatably mounted in fixed position on the machine frame and another part thereof being rotatably mounted on and movable up and down with said carrier and extending downward along and in close proximity to said carrier to said feed-roller.

19. A sewing machine including in combination, a work-arm at the free end of which the stitch-forming mechanism of the machine operates; a part of the machine frame higher than said free end of the work-arm; a worksupport mounted on said free end of the work-arm; a resser-bar longitudinally movable up and down on said part of the machine frame; a feed-roller or wheel rotatably mounted on the lower end of said resser-bar for downwardly engaging and ceding the Work along said work-support; yielding pressure means acting upon and through said resser-bar to yieldingly press said feedroller downward into yielding engagement with the work; and driving connections for imparting rotary feed movement to said feedroller, said connections including a shaft extending longitudinally. of and rotatably mounted on and movable with said presserbar, means geared to said shaft at its upper end for communicating intermittent rotary movement thereto and including one or more parts mounted on the machine frame, and means at the lower end of said shaft for rotating said feed-roller therefrom, said presser-bar and said shaft carried thereby being movable up and down without interruptin the transmission of driving power to sai feed-roller.

20. A sewing machine'including in combination, a work-arm at the free end of which the stitch-forming mechanism of the machine operates; a part of the machine frame higher than saidfree end of the workarm; a work-support mounted on said free end of the work-arm; a resser-bar longitudinally movable up and down on said part of the machine frame and extending below the same, a feed-roller or wheel rotatably mounted on the lower end of said presserbar for downwardly engaging and feeding the work along said work-support; yielding presser means actin upon and through said presser-bar to yieldmgly press the feed-roller downward into engagement with the WOI'k;- and driving connections for imparting rotary feed movement to said feed-roller said connections including a shaft extending longitudinally of and rotatably mounted on and movable up and down with said presserbar, means mounted on the machine frame and immovable with said presser-bar for imparting rotary movement to said shaft at its upper end without interruption by the up and down movement'of the shaft with the epresser-ban and means at the lower end of 'saidshaft for rotating said feed-roller therefro v 21.v A sewing machine including in combi-, nation, a work-arm at the free end of which the stitch-frming mechanism of the machine operates ;a part of the machine frame higher than saidfree end of the work-arm; a

the lower end of said presser-bar for downwardly engaging and feeding the work along said work support; yielding resser-means acting upon and through said resser-bar to yieldingly' press the ifeed-roller downward into'engagement with the work; and driving connections for imparting rotary feed movements to said feed-roller, said connections in cluding a shaft extending longitudinally of and rotatably mounted on and movable up and down with said presser-bar, gearing mounted on said part of the machine frame and communicating rotary movement to said shaft at its upper end, said gearing including 7 apinion 0n theshaft meshing with and driven by a gear wheel, one of said parts having elongated teeth to admit of the up and down movements of the shaft without interrupting the transmission of driving power to said feed-roller, and means at the lower end of till said shaft for rotating said feed-roller therefrom.

- 22. A sewing machine including in combination, a work-arm havinga free end off which work is adapted to be fed a considerable portion of said work-arm in advance of its said free end standing out from be: neath other parts of the machine; stitchforming mechanism positioned to operate on work advancing along said arm toward the free end thereof; a feed-roller or wheel for engaging work on and feeding the same along said arm toward the free end thereof; and driving connections for imparting rotary feed movement to said feed-roller in a directiorh to feed the work along said arm toward the free end thereof.

23. A sewing machine including in combination, a work-arm having a free end oif which work is adapted to be fed a considerable portion of said work-arm in advance of its said free end standing out from beneath other parts of the machine; stitchforming mechanism positioned to operate on work advancing along said arm toward the free end thereof; a feed-roller or wheel for downwardly engaging work on and feed-,

ing the same along said arm toward the free end thereof; and driving connections for imparting rotary feed movement to said feed-roller in a direction to feed the work along said arm toward the free end thereof.

24. A sewing machine including in combination, a work-arm having a free end off which work is adapted to be fed a considerable portion of said work-arm in advance of its said free end standing out from beneath other parts of the machine; a part of the machine frame position higher than said free end of the work-arm; stitchforming mechanism positioned to operate on work advancing along said arm toward the free end thereof; a feed-roller or wheel for downwardly engaging work 011 and feeding the same along said arm toward the free end 1 thereof; means supporting said feed-roller in operative position from said part of the machine frame; and driving connections for imparting rotary feed movement to said feed-roller in a direction to feed the work along said armtoward the free end thereof.

25. A sewing machine including in combination, a work-arm having a free end ofi which work is adapted to be fed a consider able portion of said Work-arm in advance of its said free end standing out from beneath other parts of the machine; a part of' the machine frame positioned higher than said free end of the work-arm; stitch-forming mechanism positioned to operate on work advancing along said arm toward the free end thereof; a feed-roller or'wheel for downwardly engaging work on and feeding the same along, said arm toward the free end thereof, said roller being movable up and down in its engagement with the work; a bar on which said feed-roller is rotatably mounted in operative position, said bar being movable up and down on bearings on the aforesaid part of the machine frame; and driving connections forimparting rotary feed movement to said feed-roller in a direction to feed the work along said arm toward the free end thereof.

26. A sewingmachine including in combination. a work-support; a feed-roller for engaging work on and feeding it along said work-support and said feed-roller having peripheral gear-teeth through which it is rotated and also having other peripheral work-gripping teeth; a carrier on which said feed-roller is rotatably mounted: and driving connections for imparting rotary feed movement to. said feed-roller and including a gear wheel meshing with said gearteeth on said roller.

27. A sewing machine including in combination. a work-support; a feed-roller for engaging work on and feeding it along said work-support and said feed-roller having peripheral gear-teeth through which it is rotated and also having peripheral workgripping teeth on said gear teeth; a carrier on which said feed-roller is rotatably mounted; and driving connections for imparting rotary feed movement to said feed-roller and including a gear wheel meshing with said gear-teeth on said roller.

28. A sewing machine including in combination, a work-support; a feed-roller for engaging work on and feeding it along saidit is rotated; a presser-bar mounted to move up and downon a part of the machine frame higher than said work-support and said bar carrying said feed-roller rotatably mounted on the lower end thereof; and driving connections including a shaft extending downward along and rotatably mounted on said Presser-bar and a spiral gear on the lower end of said shaft meshing with the spiral gear-teeth on said feed roller to impart rotary feed movement thereto.

30. A sewing machine including in combination, a work-arm having a free end off which work isadapted to be fed a considerable portion of said work-arm in advance of its said free end standing out from beneath other parts of the machine; stitch-formingv mechanism for forming stitches in work supported on and advanced along said work-arm; a presser-foot for downwardly engaging work on said work-arm; a feed-roller or wheel for downwardly engaging work on said work-arm; means carrying said presserfoot and feed-roller to move 'up and down independently of each other in their engagement with the work; and driving connections imparting rotary feed movement to said feed-roller to advance the work along said work-arm toward the free end thereof as stitches are formed in the work by the stitchforming mechanism.

31. A sewing machine including in combination, a work-arm having a free end off which work is adapted to be fed a considerable portion of said work-arm in advance of its said free end standing out from beneath other parts of the machine; a part of the machine frame positioned higher than said free end of the work-arm; a presser-foot for downwardly engaging work on said work-arm; a bar movable up and down on said part of the machine frame and to which bar said presser- .foot is attached; a feed-roller or wheel for downwardly engaging the work on said workarm another bar movable up and down on said part of the machine frame and on which said feed-roller isrotatably mounted; and driving connections imparting rotary feed-movement to said feed-roller to advance the work along said work-arm toward the free end thereof as stitches are formed in the work by the stitch-forming mechanism.

32. A sewing machine including in combination, a work-support; a resser-foot downwardly engaging the work on said work-support; a carrier movable up and down on a part of the machine frame and to which carrier said presser-foot is attached; a feedroller or wheel downwardly engaging the work on said work-support through an opening in. the presser-foot with parts of the resser-foot positioned and engaging the work at opposite ends of said roller; a carrier on which said feed-roller is rotatably mounted, said carrier with said feedroller being movable up and down on a part of the machine frame and said presserfoot and feed-roller in their engagement with the work being movable up and down with their carriers independently of each other; and driving connections for imparting rotary feed movement to'said feed-roller.

33. A sewing machine including in combination, a work-support; a presser-foot downwardly engaging the work on said work-sup port and movable up and down in its engagement with the work; one or more needles carried by a needle-bar and actuated to downwardly penetrate the work through a needle opening in said presser-foot; a feed-roller or wheel downwardly engaging the work on said work-support through an opening in said presser-foot to the rear of said needle opening; a carrier on which said feed-roller is rotatably mounted, said carrier with said roller being movable up and down on a part of the machine frame independently of the aforesaid up and down movement of the resser-foot; and driving connections for imparting rotary feed movement to said feedroller.

34. A sewing machine including in combination, a work-support; a machine-head positioned above said work-support; a presserfoot downwardly engaging work on said work-support and carried by a presser-bar movable up and down on said machine-head; a feed-roller or wheel downwardly engaging work on the work-support and rotatably mounted on another presser-bar carrying the same and movable up and down on said machine-head with up and down movements of the feed-roller while in engagement with the work, said presser-foot and feed-roller being movable up and down independently of each other in their engagement with the work; and driving connections for imparting rotary feed movement to said feed-roller, a part of said connections being rotatably mounted on 

